Who Should Have Stayed

Throughout the years players have come and gone in Raiderland. Some you couldn't wait for them to leave and others you just hated to see go. I am about to give my thoughts on who I feel should have stayed with those who definitely needed to go sprinkled in.

There are a handful of players that I really hated to see go. Either because of injury, salary cap or they were cut. But on the other hand some stayed to long.

Let's start with one of my favorites, he was not drafted a Raider but once he joined the team he excelled. That is Tyrone Wheatley. His time with the Raiders was successful as he was one of only a handful of former Raiders to lead the team in rushing 3 years in a row. But an injury ended his career even though he was to still be under contract this year. Thanks for the time spent as a Raider you were not the cancer that they said you were.

Next on my list is Greg Biekert. He should have never been left! He was the most intelligent MLB that I have seen in some time.Greg should have retired a Raider and not a Viking.

There was a game the Raiders played against Indianapolis, for the first half Payton was having his way with the Raiders, but when they came back out the game changed! Biekert had been able to figure out the signs and relay what was coming to his teammates. End result, the Raiders came back from a several touchdown deficit to beat the Colts.

Doug Jolley is my next target. Another one traded away with no real replacement. Traded to the Jets, for a 1st and 7th round pick, he was then let go after one season in New York and finished his career with Tampa.

If he would have been allowed to stay in Oakland and still be playing, Zach Miller could have been learning from a real good and intelligent tight end. Jolley would just have been going into his 8th year. Maybe he wouldn't have been Hall of Fame worthy but he was a work horse who knew his routes, was a good blocker and equally good receiver.

The next 2 I will not fault for leaving as they left for a much better cause than football. Napolean Kaufman and Steve Wisnewski both left because they found something they loved way more than football and is far more rewarding than huge contracts or Super Bowl wins! Kaufman retired to become a full time minister of Gods Word while Wisnewski left to attend Bible school.

Zack Crockett is next on my list. During his time with the Raiders he excelled at being a road grader, clearing the path for Charlie Garner or Tyrone Wheatley. Unceremoniously cut, even though he never complained about getting the ball enough. Zach just went out and did his job every week.

The next 2 players had their careers cut short due to injury. Bo Jackson and Napoleon McCallum, maybe some could say that in the short time he played Bo had an amazing career with many highlight reel touchdowns, but because of his injury the team searched for several years for that next piece to fit into the running back position.

Napolean McCallum- his career was held up due to having prior obligations to the Navy. He was a role player for most of his career, but was given his opportunity the last game of the 1993 season and then started the following week of the Wild card game against the Broncos were he had 3 rushing TDs.

But just as his star was rising, Napolean was injured in the very first game of the year thus ending what could have been and sending the Raiders on another search for that star running back.

How about a look at some that should have been shown the door, but ended up sticking around longer than necessary.

Number one on this list is James Jett, yes he had that speed that Mr. Davis covets, but other than catching the go-ahead touchdown in the Tuck game what did this guy do? He didn't have the greatest hands.

Anthony Dorsett- he should have been gone during the off-season following the loss to Baltimore. Yes he somehow had a knack for blocking field goals but he was a liability in the defensive backfield as evidenced during that same play-off loss.But he stuck around for another season or two.

That is all I have, feel free to comment on anybody on my list or add your own. If the reader will notice all of the players that I wished could have stayed all fit the model of what Cable is looking for in today's team. All team players who give their all.